Go Back
–+ servings
roast chicken in a dish with tarragon sprigs

Whole Roast Chicken with Tarragon and Lemon

Amanda Wren-Grimwood
Chicken roasted with butter under the skin flavoured with garlic, tarragon and lemon.
5 from 11 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 40 mins
Total Time 1 hr 50 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine French
Servings 6
Calories 477 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 kg chicken
  • 60 g butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 30 g tarragon chopped
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp flaked sea salt
  • 4 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 lemon
  • 125 ml white wine medium/dry

Instructions
 

  • Wipe the chicken with paper towel and preheat the oven to 180 C / 170 FAN / Gas 5
  • Zest the lemon and cut the remaining lemon in half.
  • Place the lemon halves in the chicken and set the chicken in a roasting dish.
  • Mix the butter with the tarragon, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon zest.
  • Carefully ease away the skin from the breast meat as far as possible down to and around the legs.
  • Divide the butter in half and spread under the skin each side.
  • Cover the skin with olive oil and season with extra salt and pepper if liked.
  • Roast for 1 hour 40 minutes and then check to see if the chicken is cooked through.
  • When the chicken is cooked transfer to a serving plate and cover with foil.
  • Skim off the fat from the roasting pan and squeeze the juice from the lemons from the chicken into the pan.
  • Use a wooden spoon to loosen any crusty bits and bring the mixture to the boil on the hob.
  • Add the wine and allow the mixture to bubble for a few minutes to reduce.
  • Check the seasoning and serve with the chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 477kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 31gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 142mgSodium: 576mgPotassium: 501mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 684IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 3mg
Keyword chicken, garlic, lemon, tarragon
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!